Now that the law is finalized, it seemed like a good time to update the presentation.

She found a discrepancy on the upper limit of employees to get a small business tax credit under the law. One government site said 25. Another government site said 24. The law, itself, says 25 (Page 120 or 906 here).

The Web site for Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius also says the credit goes to businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

When quizzed by Stawicki about the discrepancy, Sibelius’ spokesman, Nicholas Papas, said the correct answer is “fewer than 25.”

“Do I have the wrong version of the law, then?” Stawicki asked in an e-mail.

Papas referred her to a White House fact sheet that confirms the credit goes to businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

There’s only one problem. That’s not what the law says.

“Check with Treasury on this,” Papas advised.

Update 3:50 p.m. – The Treasury Department’s ruling: It’s available to small businesses who employ up to 24 full-time employees. Nonetheless, the law as passed actually says 25 “fulltime equivalent” employees.

About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts where he was VP of programming for Berkshire Broadcasting Co. He was an editor at the RKO Radio Network in New York, and WHDH Radio in Boston. He is the founder of the MPR News’ website. He is a private pilot and flies an airplane he built.